Education aspirations of Dominican ninth-grade students

Abstract

Dominican ninth-grade students from Santo Domingo (N = 100) and New York City (N = 60) were surveyed with respect to their level of educational aspiration and their perceptions of various factors that have been shown to be related to educational aspiration. Results indicated that virtually all the students in both samples understood that college is important, but the students from Santo Domingo were most confident that they would complete a college degree. The students from Santo Domingo had more support from parents and teachers, greater satisfaction with and interest in school, higher grades, and better academic self-concepts. The most important predictors of educational aspiration in the Santo Domingo sample were satisfaction with school, perceived ability to pay for college, and perceived academic ability. In the New York City sample, perceived academic ability, parental aspiration, and plan to attend college now were the most important predictors.^ Results were interpreted in terms of the need for parent education and inservice education for teachers aimed at stimulating students' interest in school and attending college. ^